Rare Periodicals

Teacher's role in the new curriculum

Media

Part of Philippine Educator

Title

Teacher's role in the new curriculum

Creator

Quinto, Juan G.

Language

English

Source

Philippine Educator, XII (3) August 1957

Year

1957

Subject

Curriculum planning

Curriculum change

Elementary education

National board of Education

Rights

Fulltext

Teachers' Role in the New turriculnm GENERAL Circular No. 3, s. 1957 with Department Order No. 1, s. 1957 provides that effective the school year 1957-1958 the new curriculum adopted by the National Board of Ed'ucation should be implemented. Some significant provisions of the new system are as follows: 1. Reduce the class sizes from 60 to a maximum of 40 pupils in each class. 2. The 3-2 plan and 5-3 plan in the intermediate classes are to be adopted as the facilities will permit. 3. The mu.lti-grade classes in the rural areas may be organized to accommodate all children of school age. 4. Compulsory education for all children between the ages of 7 to 13. 5. Special attention to be given to the program of the community school. 6. The local vernacular, as medium of instruction, shall be used in Grade I and Grade II. 7. The Filipino language shall be introduced as a subject beginning Grade I, and given emphasis in the higher grades. 8. English shall be introduced as a subject in Grade I and Grade II emphasizing the oral approach.· 9. Beginning Grade III, English shall be used as a medium of instruction, with the local vernacular as auxiliary language. 10. Beginning Grade V, English shall be used as the medium of instruction with the Filipino language as an auxiliary. 11. The minimum time allotment for the different subject areas as follows be followed: Number of Minutes a Day Subject Areas I-II I III-IV I V-VI I. Social Studies 40 50 50 II. Work Education 40 60 80 III. Health and Science 40 40 50 IV. Language Arts 110 110 120 v. Arithmetic 40 40 50 VI. Arts and Phy. Educ. 40 40 50 Tot a 1 310 340 400 PAGE 30 By Juan G. Quinto The following are suggested subjects in each area: Social Studies - This will include moral education, geography, history, civics, community problems, good manners and right conduct, etc. Work Education - This includes those phases of work in agriculture, home making and family living, industrial arts and retail trade and other activities designed to develop knowledge, attitudes, proper work habits and skills and wise utilization of resources. Health and Science - The subjects suggested under this area are personal hygiene, community health, elementary science, conservation, safety education, etc. Language Arts - This includes language, spelling, reading, phonics, and writing skills in the native languages, Filipino language, and English. Arithmetic - This emphasizes the development of skills in the fundamental operation and solution of problems related to community life. Arts and Physical Education - The subjects suggested under this area are music, drawing, painting, modeling, physical education, club-work, hobbies, etc. In view of this Department Order, it is imperative that every teacher from Grades I to VI should endeavor to develop a curriculum that are geared to the developmental characteristics and needs of children, and to contribute to the wholesome growth and development of each child. Let me quote in part what former Director Trinidad said in one of his speeches on the subject, "The Need for a Continuous Restudy of the Curriculum". " ... The development of critical thinking on the part of the teachers is essential. Teachers should be able to evaluate critically materials of instruction that fall into their hands in terms of the actual needs and problems of the individµ,al pupils and students and of the community itself. Ability to make maximum use of materials drawn from local resources, to analyze and organize these materials into learning units is another competence that should be developed among our teachers ... " In line with the foregoing thinking, this article aims to point out specifically the role of the teacher in the new curriculum. In the modern concept of curriculum development and curriculum revision; the teacher, more than anybody else, plays an important role. She should know not only how to plan and orTHE PHILIPPINE EDUCATOR ganize her teaching unit in accordance with the different subject areas but also familiarize herself with the scope of the fundamental objectives of the new curriculum. This will enable her to make her teaching more meaningful and functional not only to the child but also to the community for which it is to serve. Such fundamental objectives of the new system as adopted and approved by the National Board of Education are as follows: 1. To inculcate moral and spiritua·l values inspired by an abiding faith in God. 2. To develop an enlightened, patriotic, useful and upright citizenry in a democratic society. 3. To instill habits of industry and thrift and to prepare individuals to the economic development and wise conservation of Nation's natural resources. 4. To maintain family solidarity, to improve community life, to perpetuate all that is desirable in our national heritage, , and to serve the cause of world pellce. 5. To promote the sciences, arts and letters for the enrichment of life and the recognition of the dignity of the human person. The above fundamental objectives are clear and specific. If we analyze. and study further such objectives, however, they are somewhat different from the current practices. The importance of sciences, arts and letters, and the development of world understanding are incorporated in these objectives which are not found in the Constitutional objectives. Unless the teacher is familiar with the content of the foregoing fundamental objectives, and unless such objectives are properly used in the teaching of the different subject areas, the likelihood is that she may not be able to organize her teaching unit in accordance with the needs, interests, and abilities of her children. In formulating any teaching objective, however, it is necessary that teachers should not overlook that the child is the starting point, the center, and the end. That his development, his growth, is the ideal. It is he, (child-interest centered) and not the subject-matter (subject-matter contered) that determines both the quality and quantity of the teaching-learning activities. Anything that is taught to the child should reflect real life problems an<l vital experiences, be it in Language Arts, Health and Science, Social Studies, Arithmetic, Work Education, or other subject area. If, for instance, the aim of the lesson is "To develop the habit of thrift and industry", a valid proof of the effectiveness of instruction is the positive change effected in the habits, attitudes, and activities of the children. Knowledge is essential, but the application of such knowledge is more important. When the k.Qowledge and information learned by the children in · the classroom are put into practice in their daily living, it is safe to conclude that there is growth in habits AUGUST. 1957 and skills, ideals and attitudes among our pupils. This, to my mind, is the real measure of the eff ectiveness of our classroom instruction. In this connection, let me cite Villegas community school in Pozorrubio in which children, especially in Grades V. and VI, made a very notable achievement on "Thrift Campaign" as per Memorandum No. 77, s. 1956. Out of its 72 intermediate pupils, 36 have Postal Book deposits carrying a total amount of 'P991.40 from August 1, 1956 to January 31, 1957. This gives every child an average income of 1"27.54 which amount may seem small to us but quite significant to the child and his parents. The district supervisor, Mr. Mariano Ereso, and assistant superintendent of schools, Mr. Toribio Jovellanos, gave commendation to the head teacher, Mr. Ancheta, for initiating the thrift campaign in his school. According to the report of the head teacher, his Grade VI pupils who enrolled in the first year this school year used a part of their savings to pay their tuition fee and book rentals. The head teacher said further that the amount saved by these children came from varied home activities such as piggery, poultry, home garden, etc., thus relieving their parents from financial burden. In the preparation of a "Teaching Unit" or instructional material, the teacher should keep in mind the following basic principles: 1. The content of the curriculum should include real life problems of the community and vital experiences of children. 2. The teacher should be able to formulate her teaching objectives in acc_ordance with the needs, interests, and capacities of the children. 3. The teacher should be able to organize her teaching materials in the most effective form. 4. The teacher should be able to bridge the gap between the old curriculum and the new curriculum. 1. The Content o.f the Curriculum. - What should be the content of the curriculum so it may include real life problems of the community and vital experiences of the children? In determining what should be the content of the curriculum, the teacher should not overlook the local conditions and community resources obtaining in the community. This implies that curriculum in one community school may not be the san~e as the curriculum of another school. Therefore, there is a need for every classroom teacher to prepare her own curriculum adopted to the interest of the child and to the community for which it is to serve. That she should be able to evaluate critically any instructional materials at hand in terms of the actual needs and problems of the child and of the community where sh€ teaches. In the past, the Bureau of Public Schools prescribed a uniform curriculum throughout .the country. That curriculum- work was entrusted to the General Office of the Bureau of PubPAGE 31 lie Schools with selected teachers working under the direction of trained curriculum specialists. Today, however, such practice has been entirely eradicated. Every teacher is a curriculum maker and a curriculum reviser. This does not mean, however, that courses of study, objectives, manuals, and other instructional materials prepared and issued to the field by the General Office should not be used. These materials should be used as guides to help teachers, and should be regarded not as ends but rather as means to an end. Teachers should be able to evaluate these materials more critically, modify or enrich them, as the case may be, to suit the needs, interests, and abilities of children and to meet the needs of the community for which they are intended. Let me cite the following typical illustrations in which Grade II teachers in three different community schools differ considerably in their curriculum. As we see it, it is a curriculum prepared by individual teachers based on the resources obtaining in the community. Grade II - Using the Local Vernacular as Medium of Instruction Teacher A - Dulag community school - Binrnaley Diad barioy Dulag say maslac ya anapay totoo manlakoy sira. Dake! so pokok ya binolosay siran bangos. No ankabaleg larayan bangos kemelen tan ilako ed tindaan. Say beliy saquey a bangos no baleg ag ongkolang ed salapi. Dake! so mayaman ed barioy Dulag lapod walay pokok da. Teacher-An toy maslac ya anapay totoo ed Dulag? Pupil -Manlako na sira. Teacher-An toy ngaray siro so ilako ra? Pupil -Bangos. Teacher-Pigara so beliy saquey a bangos no baleg? Pupil -Salapi. Teacher-No wala so samploran bangos, pigara so ompaoay a kuarta? Pupil -Limay pesos. Teacher-No duamplon sira ey? Pupil -Samploy pesos. Teacher-Akin et dakel so toon mayaman ed barioy Dulag? Pupil -Lapod dakel so pokok da ya nankargay siran bangos. Teacher B- Bobonan Community School-Pozorrubio Say maslac ya anapay totoo ed barioy Bobonan manmanok. Masolok ya duanlasos ya abong so walay poultry to. Kapag kabuasan masolok ya samplon libon iknol so ilalako na totoo ed sayan bario. Say biley saquey a iknol natan samploran centimos. Mainomay so bilay na saray totoo ed sayan bario. Teacher-,-Antoy maslac ya anapay totoo ed Bobonan? Pupil -Manmanok. PAGE 32 Teacher-Pigaran abong so walay poultry to ed Bobonan? Pupil -Masolok ya duanlasos. Teacher-Pigara so beliy saquey a iknol natan? Pupil -Samploran centimos. Teacher-No wala so samploran iknol, pigara so ompaoay a kuarta? Pupil -Peso. Teacher-No duamplon iknol? Pupil -Duay pesos. Teacher-Akin et maong so bilay na saray totoo ed Bobonan? Pupil -Lapod wala so poultry ra. Teacher C - Inlambo Community SchooI-Mangaldan Diad barioy Inlambo say maslac ya anapay totoo so mantanem na pising, camote, tan mais. Diad bulay Octobre ya angad Enero dakei so pesing. Dakel met so talon, paliya, tan camatis. Diad bulay Marzo tan Abril dakel met so camote. Diad bu lay Mayo tan J uniyo dakel so. mais. Mako lira so totoo ed Inlambo. Maslac ed sikara so dumaralos. Teacher-Antoy maslac ya anapay totoo ed Inlambo? Pupil -Mantanem na pising. Teacher-Antonira? Pupil -Mantanem na mais, camote, tabaco, tari-paguey. Teacher-Ined so panlakuan da na saray pisipising da? Pupil -Diad tindaan. · Teacher-Pigara so beliy saquey a camatis no halon paoy? Pupil -Limaran centimos no baleg. Teacher-Say talong ey? Pupil -Limaran centimos met. Teacher-No wala so samploran camatis mo, pigara ey so panlacuan mo? Pupil -Salapi. Teacher-No samploran talon ey? Pupil-Salapi met. The above examples are typical. When translated into English they can be used from Grade III and up. They are good materials for Reading, Language, and Social Studies. While they are suggestive, teachers should use their initiative and resourcefulness. What is essentially important, however, is for the teacher to know whether1. The foregoing instructional materials me~t the needs, interests, and capacities of children. 2. They are based on real life problems obtaining in the community. 3. They provide a well-balanced-day of living for boys and girls. 4. They provide for continuity in the learning experiences of the child. · 5. They orient the children to the life about therr .. If we attempt to make translation of the forego- · ing vernacular instructional material into English THE PHILIPPINE EDUCATOR (Teacher A-Dulag community school-Binmaley) it will run as follows : In our barrio the main occupation of the people is fishing. There are plenty of fishponds in the barrio containing milkfish or bangos. When the bangos get big enough they are sold in the market. One bangos, when big, costs fifty centavos. Many people in Dulag are rich because they are fishpond owners. Teacher-What is the common occupation of the people in Dulag? Pupil -Selling fish. Teacher-What kind of fish do they sell? Pupil -Milkfish or bangos. Teacher-How much does one bangos cost at present? Pupil -Fifty centavos. Teacher-If you have 10 fish or bangos, how much will they cost? Pupil -Five pesos. Teacher-Supposed you have twenty bangos? Pupil -Ten pesos. Teacher-Why are people in Du lag rich? Pupil -Because they have fishponds. (To be continued) Ang Palagitlingan (Karugtong) H. Sa pagpapakilala ng iba-ibang katuturan at tungkulin ng mga salita sa pangungusap kapag ang mga ito'y nagtataglay ng panlapi. 1. Ang kay, kapag ginaganiit na panlapi upang magbigay ng diwa ng paghanga, pagkagitla, o pagdaramdam, ay ginagamitan ng gitling o kaya'y tuluyan nang ipinipisan sa salitang nilalapian. Mga halimba wa : Kay-ganda (o kayganda) ng larawang ito ! N akakain kami ng mga santol na kay-tatamis ( o kaytatamis.) Kay-bagsik-bagsik ( o kaybagsik-bagsik) naman niyang mga aso ninyo. Kapag ang lalapian ng kay ay nagsisimula sa ka, lalong bagay na gamitan ng gitling. Mga halimbawa: Kay-kaaga naman ng gising ninyo. Hindi na siya kumibo sapagka't kay-kaulit mo. Kay-kalaking mga baboy ang foaalagaan nila sa kanilang kulungan ! 2. Ang ma, kapag inilalapi sa mga bilang o sa mga titik na ang bigkas ay sunod sa Ingles o Kastila upang mangahulugan ng marami, ay ginagamitan ng gitling. Mga halimbawa: Ma-ar ang mga salitang Bumbay. Ang mga salitang Hapon ay ma-i. Ma-8 ang bilang ng mga auto sa Maynila. Apg mga nabiling tiket sa "Sweepstake" ay ma-2. 3. Kapag ang ma ay inilalapi sa mga pang-uri sa kahulugang maging, ang gitling ay ginagamit. Mga halimbawa: AUGUST, 1957 Ni Benigno Zamora Lahat ng may mabuting kalooban ay pinagpapala ng Diyos - ma-mahirap, ma-mayaman. Ma.-maliit, nui-malaki, ay may mga pagkakataong umunlad sa isang pamahalaang tunay na demokratiko. Sa ganitong kahulugang inilalalin ng salita ay hindi dapat kaligtaan ang paglalagay ng tuldik na mariin sa panlaping ma at ang paglalagay ng gitling sapagka't malamang na magkaroon ng kahulugang marami o maaari. Halimbawa: Mamaliit ang mga suhang ito. (Maraming maliit) Mamayaman sa nayong iyon. (Maraming mayaman) 4. Ang may na nabibilang sa mga pandiwang walang banghay ay nagagamit na panlapi, tulad din ng di, sa, at iba pa. Kapag inilalapi sa salitang nagsisimula sa patinig, ang paggamit ng gitling ay sapilitan; nguni't kapag sa isang salitang nagsisimula sa katinig, ay nagkakaroon ng dalawang anyo - isang kabit at isang may gitling. Ang walang gitling ay ginagamit na pangngalan at ang may gitling ay pang-uri. Mga halimbawa: Ang maygawa ng kuwadrong ito ay si Mariano. (pangngalan) Ang mga maysakit ay ginagamot na walang bayad sa mga ospital. (pangngalan) Ang taong may-gawa ng kahong ito ay talagang sanay. (pang-uri) Inilipat sa ospital ang batang may-sakit. (pang-uri) PAGE 33